Don't ask this modern Stone Age guy about health care

I don't mean to give offense, but the truth of the matter is -- and you should know this by now -- that I don't particularly want to hear about your feelings, one way or another, about the Supreme Court's decision on President Barack Obama's health-care plan.

Nor do I especially feel like sharing with you my opinions on the matter.

I really think that if you feel a great need to vent about this issue in the newspaper, you should write a letter to the editor or contact one of the grown-up columnists.

As for me, my opinion is that we should move on to today's question:

On the cartoon series "The Flintstones," what was the occupation of Fred Flintstone's buddy Barney Rubble?

Now, that's more like it. Just try asking my big-shot colleagues like Laurie Roberts or Ed Montini a question like this and see what it gets you.

Anyway, there seems to have been quite a bit of research -- actually sort of an alarming bit of research -- into this issue.

And who says our American education system is failing?

It seems that Barney Rubble got kicked around a bit. At one point, he worked alongside Fred as a dinosaur operator at the quarry and was even once appointed Fred's supervisor by Mr. Slate, the quarry owner.

And sometimes, he worked at some undescribed job at the Granite Building. And sometimes as a TV repo man.

I won't be surprised to find out that many of you people have your own ideas about this. That's nice.